Rising cost of tools paid for upfront hampering apprentices, Oireachtas committee to hear

There has been a steady growth in take-up for apprenticeships in Ireland in recent years, with a record 9,300 new apprentices registered in 77 different fields in 2024. File photo

The burgeoning cost of tools while working as an apprentice are leaving many people “financially deprived”, TDs and senators are to be told.

Apprentice electricians are often being forced to pay for their own tools upfront, according to Stephen Lown, a phase 5 electrical apprentice and representative with the Union of Students in Ireland.